Second chapter and probably the last of updates for a while. I apologize again about the internet thing TT_TT
Chapter 29- Of Compensation and Separations
Rin groaned at the familiar slow slide of sheets down his back- Makoto's signature last-ditch effort method of forcing him to wake up.
He arched into the sheets, a low moan of protest rolling out of his throat, splaying his legs to make a picture of himself Makoto would find hard to resist.
"Just once," he sighed, rolling over onto his back and reluctantly cracking red eyes open to glare over his shoulder at the offending brunette, "couldn't you wake me up with breakfast or someth-"
Rin trailed off, blinking up at Nitori, who had bitten his lip in his struggle to not laugh at his upperclassman.
"Oh." The redhead squeaked.
Nitori's cheeks took on a deeper red hue as he choked down his laughter.
Rin groaned and pulled the bedding right out from Nitori's hands and drew it over his head. "Shut up."
After a couple of long moments filled with odd, strangled choking noises from Nitori and unhappy half-whimpers from Rin the silver-haired boy finally managed to bring his mirth under control.
"You wanted to run, Matsuoka-senpai, and our normal morning run is in ten minutes."
Under the sheets Rin heaved a sigh. "Of fucking course it is."
Still he buried his face in his pillow- smelling oh-so-faintly of Makoto's minty shampoo- and tried to ignore his roommate.
Nitori was having none of it, however. He'd dealt with Rin's getting-up-in-the-morning disability many times before. He whisked the covers away from the redhead and balled them up, holding them under his arm as his boxer-and-muscle-shirt clad upperclassman began to shiver on the bed.
"Honestly," he sighed. "How do Tachibana-senpai and Nanase-senpai deal with you?"
"Well they love me so they treat me a lot better, that's for sure!" Rin shot back in the most petulant tone Nitori had ever heard from the older boy.
He tossed the bundle of bedding at the back of Rin's head. "Come on, senpai, get up! Time for our workout!"
"Fine, fine, I get it! I'm fucking up, god..."
After a couple of quick stretches Rin led the way out the door, determined to get this run out of the way so he could start the day-long texting with his lovers. He wouldn't see them at all today: school, practice, and then he had to review the material learned to ensure he knew it for the next day's test and by the time he planned to be done with that Samezuka's curfew would be in effect and getting off campus would require an act of god. He rubbed his forehead with a groan of displeasure and Nitori was suddenly at his side, brows drawn in and head tilted in worry.
"Are you okay, Rin-senpai?"
He sighed. "I could be a lot better. I'm not going to be able to get off campus to see Makoto and Haru today..."
Nitori's sky-blue eyes widened in understanding. "Ohh, I see. Well, umm, I was planning on cramming with Kenji, so if you want the room will be open for a while."
Rin blinked, looking thoughtful. "Well I can't have them come over, they'd just distract me... Maybe I can Skype them, though."
Nitori laughed and ran ahead. "You'll think of something!"
The first text message sent was to Makoto.
'I miss you.'
About five minutes later, while climbing the stairs to his first class, his phone buzzed a response. From Haru.
'Lonely, are we?'
He scowled and ignored the odd looks from his classmates as he furiously tapped out a reply.
'Oh shut the fuck up, Haru. I don't know how you can manage to come off as smug through a fucking text message, but-'
Before he even finished his phone buzzed again. The light on his phone blinked green- Makoto this time. He sent the one to Haru in its half-complete state and flicked over to Makoto's.
'Guys please don't fight! Today is special, don't ruin it!'
Rin paused outside his classroom, blinking at his phone, wondering what was so special about today. So far as he knew it was just a normal March day... His teacher have him a dirty look so he sent 'Class now, guys.' and powered the phone down.
The question about the day plagued him to no end through the whole first period. The second he was out he turned his phone back on to two new texts from Makoto and one from Haru.
Haru's just said:
'It's a talent.'
And Makoto's were:
'Oops! That was a secret! About the day... You were supposed to find out yourself!'
'Well, Haru will find out soon himself, so... Check your bag, Rin!'
Confused, Rin checked through his bag, riffling through the contents, finding nothing amiss. Everything was in its exact order. 'Rin no!' 'I'm kidding, Makoto. For shit's sake. I'm not actually going to off the Captain. Annoying as he may be. But seriously, it would have meant he was in my 'I guess I didn't think about that... Sorry Rin.' 'It's no big deal. I'll collect it at practice." "Oh! That actually sounds like a better idea! Okay, at practice then!"
'Hey, Mako, what do you mean about my bag? Is there something I should be looking for?'
Second period was English and Rin usually tended to vegetate that period, so he kept his phone on. He got a text back from Makoto five minutes into class- 'Oh no! It must be in your gym bag... I asked Seijuurou-kun to put it in your bag this morning...'- and though the desire to run down to the natatorium was killing him, he knew more than well enough that he'd never be able to make it between second and third. So he sighed, glared at the blackboard, and sent a reply.
'Well yeah. If the Captain had put it in my schoolbag I might have had to murder him in the pool and try to pass it off as an accident.'
"Psst... Matsuoka... Matsuoka!"
Rin's head jerked up, looking first to the blackboard and his teacher- who was still writing and lecturing without looking back- then over his left shoulder, where Iwada was blinking owlishly at him.
"What?"
"Is that your girlfriend?"
His brow furrowed. "My- Makoto? God, no."
(Something felt inherently wrong about implying Makoto was in any way feminine.)
Iwada sat back and crossed his arms over his (considerable; he wasn't a swim team member, hadn't been able to cut it on Seijuurou's team) stomach. "Just wondering. What with it being White Day and all."
Well that didn't make the slightest bit of sense- wait.
'Makoto did you get me something for White Day?'
It took a good ten minutes for the reply this time and Rin worried at his lip for the duration, bandying the idea of it being true or not back and forth and trying to decide if being the 'girl' was a bad thing. Though, technically, compared to Makoto (who was what one might consider a power top when he got in the mood) Rin guessed he and Haru were more the 'girls' of the relationship anyway...
His phone lit up with a reply at long last but his checking it was interrupted by Sadahara-sensei asking an answer of him. Rin read over the words on the board twice before reciting the proverb without a hitch and returning his eyes to his phone.
'Umm... Maybe? Okay, I did! I thought it was only fair! You guys got me something for Valentine's so this was me returning the notion- three times' worth, of course!'
Rin winced at the thought of how much chocolate that was likely to be. With his lack of a sweet tooth it'd be a while before he got through them. Ai might appreciate the treats, though... Even if that was considered bad form. 'Yes I did! I love you! Enjoy your day, Rin, and we'll see you tonight!"
'You didn't have to...'
"Stupid cute idiot..." The redhead mumbled under his breath, fighting down a blush and a surge of happiness at Makoto's straightforward profession of love.
Rin wasn't willing to admit exactly how fast he rushed to the locker room at the first sound of the final bell. He passed Nitori on the way and knew, judging by the amused look and giggle that followed, that Nitori had already assumed why he was so eager.
By the time he'd made it to the natatorium Nitori was on his heels, brimming with curiosity, and Kenji followed his boyfriend.
"What are we all so excited about?" The brunette asked as Rin hurried through his combination.
"Matsuoka-senpai's lovers must have done something," Nitori explained. "If Senpai's so interested, I wanna know."
"Mako said he got me something for White Day," Rin muttered as he circled for the final number. "Hey, Ai, would you be okay with a bunch of chocolate? You know I don't have the biggest sweet tooth, so..."
Rin trailed off, staring into his duffel, and Nitori and Kenji flanked him to see what had rendered him speechless.
His bag was stuffed- his normal swim gear lay all but hidden beneath three bottles of Pocket Sweat, a new pair of goggles (he'd snapped the strap of his older pair last week), two boxes of Pocky, and a bag of cat treats with a note stapled to it.
'Okay, well, these weren't supposed to go in, but let's just call them coupons for Free Akiha Nuzzles, okay?'
Rin slammed his head into his locker.
While both his underclassmen jumped and looked at him with pure bewilderment he just shook his head against the metal.
"Adorbable fucking motherfucker I swear to you now he will kill me with his pure sweetness and-"
Nitori had to laugh, because Rin was grinning wide as could be, not at all angry. In fact, he suspected the suspicious glimmer in the redhead's eyes may even be happy tears.
"Happy White Day, Senpai!"
Rin mumbled something and grabbed his suit, changing quickly while still staring at the contents of his bag and smiling like a lovestruck fool.
And continuing to tear up every time.
Nitori was changed before Rin could finish, both headed out the door, and Kenji was one leg in his jammers trying to follow when the silver-haired boy turned to his roommate and said, "So are you happy?"
Dewy crimson eyes turned on him."Nitori I swear to god if you say anything..."
Nitori grinned. "Matsuoka-senpai..."
Rin continued as though he hadn't heard. "...I will drown you in the pool at practice and no one will think it's weird and-"
"Matsuoka-senpai..." Nitori tried again.
"-and god he's such a cute idiot but seriously Nitori-"
"Rin-senpai."
"I'll murder y- what?"
Nitori patted his friend's shoulder. "You're kinda crying a little."
"Shit-!" Rin yelped, drawing the attention of half the team.
Nitori glanced over his shoulder at their sudden audience, sky-blue gaze lighting on one person in particular. "...aren't you going to thank him?"
"Not when I'm crying-" Rin snarled.
Nitori shrugged. "Oh. Well he's coming this way."
Red eyes bulged. "What?!"
"Weren't you paying attention? Captain's been saying all week how excited he is for Matsuoka-san to come over today so he can reciprocate."
Rin looked like he wanted the ground to swallow him whole. "What."
Nitori smothered a laugh and Kenji joined them. "You forgot today was a joint practice?"
The realization had dawned on the redhead. "...shiiiiiiiit."
Makoto was almost to them, Haruka trailing after him, when Seijuurou made his presence known with a slap to Rin's back that propelled him two steps forward and made him pinwheel for balance.
"Dammit, Captain-!"
"Oi, Matsuoka! Did you get your honey's presents?!"
Rin shrugged the older redhead's arm off. "Yes, I did! And-"
"I'm glad."
Rin clammed right up, flushing scarlet, and turned his nose up at the softly smiling brunette.
"Ye-yeah. Thanks. I... I really appreciate everything."
"Tsundere..." Seijuurou muttered in passing.
Rin growled but the Captain was already approaching his sister. Which only made him growl louder. Makoto sighed- "Oh, Rin, honestly..."- and Nitori patted his upperclassman on the shoulder as he and Kenji walked away.
Seijuurou was hiding something behind his back and Gou took immediate notice of it, giving the fiery male a questioning look.
"G-Gou-kun..." At her sharp glare he balked and quickly hurried to fix himself. "Kou! Kou-san. I-I-I made these for- for you! Three times- well, actually kinda four times- what you made for me!"
His teammates snickering (and one Matsuoka Rin pouting over by his lovers) at the whole display the whole Samezuka team watched Mikoshiba Seijuurou offer up a rather large box of chocolates to a very flustered Matsuoka Gou.
"Sei..." She whispered as she gingerly accepted it, "You didn't have to, really... E-especially the whole three times thing... Because this box i-is really heavy..."
Practice carried on mostly as normal after that except for Rin trying to convey exactly how happy he was with nothing but his eyes.
Luckily for him, Makoto was adept at reading eyes and Rin was still no exception.
Nitori woke up to the not-exactly familiar noise of Rin having a bad dream. He poked his head over the edge of the bed and eyed his upperclassman- brows drawn, lips pinched, sheets in disarray, one arm brushing the floor- before he snuck down the ladder. He stared at his roommate as Rin continued to make small noises of distress and unhappiness and finally fumbled his way to Rin's desk and picked up the older boy's cell phone. He hit speed-dial 1 (Gou was number 2, followed by the Matsuoka matriarch and Haru, respectively) and waited patiently for the other party to pick up.
"Mmm, Rin? What is it, what's wrong?"
"Ah! Um, Tachibana-san, it's me, Aiichirou. Er, Nitori? Um, it's-"
Despite his sleepy voice Makoto chuckled. "I know who you are, Aiichirou-kun." The silver-haired boy relaxed for all of a moment before the older asked "What's wrong with Rin? Why are you calling on his phone?"
"Oh, Matsuoka-senpai is having a bad dream. I thought maybe if I put the phone to his ear you could talk to him and calm him down?"
Another drowsy laugh. "I can try."
Nitori hurried back to his upperclassman's side and held Rin's phone to the unhappy boy's ear. He couldn't hear a word Makoto said but it was enough to see the redhead's expression begin to smooth out. A soft mumble of the other lover's name slipped out- "Haru..."- and Nitori could tell the second voice had joined the first a moment later. The knowledge that both of his upperclassman's boyfriends had awoken just to soothe him made him smile. Once Rin rolled to his other side with a soft, happy, pleased sigh, Nitori brought the phone back to his own ear. Makoto was in the middle of a yawn and Haru was sleepily describing how their kitten was sleeping upside down and her little white belly was getting very rotund. Nitori giggled at the description and the pair on the other end went abruptly silent.
"He's better then?" Haruka asked quietly.
"Much better," Nitori said. "I'm really so sorry to bother you, Nanase-san, Tachibana-san..."
"We told you you can call whenever you need us," Makoto spoke up. "And if Rin needs us..."
Nitori nodded. "Understood! ...and thank you."
"Thank you."
He hung up and carefully replaced Rin's phone. Tiptoeing to the closet he rummaged around in it until his hand encountered plush soft fur. He pulled the dolphin plushie from the closet where Rin hid it and brought it back to his upperclassman's bunk. He wedged it underneath Rin's arm and worked it around until he thought its position suitable. Rin startled him by abruptly tightening his grip over it. Nitori let go of the plush like he'd been zapped. Rin dragged it over the sheets and buried his nose in it, sighing deeply into the soft fuzz, and sank deeply into sleep with a second minute sigh.
Nitori stood at his upperclassman's bedside for a moment before he beamed at the happy, relaxed picture Rin painted- nothing at all like the dissension he'd seen just fifteen minutes prior- and climbed back up onto his own bunk.
He was out like a light.
The next morning he was shaken awake by a sheepish, blushing Rin.
"Umm... Thanks, Ai. For last night."
Partway through rubbing his eyes of sleep the words sunk in. Nitori grinned at the older boy.
"Of course! Anything I can do to help, Rin-senpai!"
